Suishou no Jakku
by Red Okami writer -Jiseru
Summary: -"means 'Crystal of Evil'"- New chaptered story- After a day at the beach, things have gone strangely calm for a long time-until Antauri and Gibson find an aberrant crystal glowing a malevolent aura... slowly but surely starting to corrupt one monkey-who?
1. Words of Wisdom

The waves by the shore swished and swayed and _"Shhhh"_-ed, touching the sand only to quickly run back down to the ocean. A few multi-colored crabs climbed atop rocks, bathing in the bright white sun. Seashells, fish, and starfish twinkled and shook under shallow water, scattering as soon as Chiro threw a thin, satiny black rock in attempt to make it skip.

"Aw, man," Chiro muttered, watching it _plop _and sink below the depths of the sea.

"Hmm...." Sprx picked up another slender pebble. It was pale in color and had the feel of chalk. He clasped it in his hand, ready to fling it when he saw the concern in Chiro's face deepen. "What's up, kid?" He asked, pausing and taking a seat next to him.

"It's nothing," Chiro mumbled, closing his eyes slowly .

Sprx frowned in irritation. "C'mon, kid, tell me what's wrong."

Chiro took a deep breath, and then let it out. "It's nothing, really. It's just... the adults in Shuggazoom... they... treat me like a little kid." Chiro chuckled a little bit. "You'd think that saving their town a million times would earn you a little respect."

Sprx tilted his head, fascinated. "Now when did this happen?"

Chiro kicked a sleeping crab off a small boulder near his foot into the water. He sat up uncomfortably and noticed that Sprx was still waiting for the answer. He sighed.

"Okay... A few days ago, after that one battle with the Skeleton Kings' minions at the fairground...?"

"Yeah. I remember. Go on."

Chiro looked the other way. "A couple from a near by store told me I was too young to meddle with super hero business. They... they asked me to live with them."

Sprx jumped and stood up, a few furs from his tail sticking up. "What? What did you say?!"

Sprx's unnerved state made Chiro laugh, despite his uncomfortable situation. "Don't worry. I said no."

The red monkey relaxed and slowly sat back down. "Oh, okay... good." He rubbed his forehead and grinned at Chiro. "Don't scare me like that, got it, kid?" He elbowed him. "You're sticking with us, whether you like it or not."

"Yeah, but that still doesn't solve my problem," Chiro picked up another rock and hurled it into the water. "I _am _just a kid." It _plunked _with a big splash.

Sprx gazed at the boy, blinking with interest. He then reverted his gaze toward the sky and smiled. "You _are _just a kid."

Chiro blushed with embarrassment and refused the urge to look annoyed.

"Look, kid," Sprx grasped Chiro's shoulder, making him turn toward him. Sprx held out the rock. "See this? It's ugly. You have to admit it."

Chiro cocked his eyebrow, wondering where the heck he was going with this. "Yeah...?"

Sprx twirled it around in his finger. He then stopped it and captured it in his palm. "But it's perfect to throw in the ocean... am I right?"

"Yeah...?"

"So you see," Sprx swiftly dislodged the pebble to the sea. "It isn't the appearance that counts." The rock skipped six times before it finally sank. "It's about how far you can go."

Chiro stared at Sprx in amazement. After about two minutes of solemn silence, Chiro suddenly burst out laughing. Sprx widened his eyes and then narrowed them with vex. "What's so funny?!"

"You..." Chiro kept right on laughing. "...You sound like Antauri."

Sprx's expression softened greatly and he then went on and joined him in his flurry of laughter.

"You're right," Sprx said, wiping a small teardrop in his eye. "I have to stop hanging out with that guy."

"Not that it's a bad thing," Chiro said briskly.

"Yeah..." Sprx agreed.

Chiro stood up and hit his pants, causing a cloud of dust to fly off. He smiled at the golden fading sun as it set below the purple and pink ocean.

"I'm not a big fan of water," Chiro heard Sprx say breathlessly. "But the beach is sure nice to be at when the sun goes down."


	2. Dim of the sunset

Darkness loomed over the scientist and the psychic as they watched the sunset the exact same time as Chiro and Sprx. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight; the water was clear, the golden sun shone dimly halfway down the ocean, the clouds were twisted and the colors brilliantly preformed a vibrant glow in the sea.

"What do you think of this, Antauri?" Gibson murmured. The sunset, for some reason, made everyone's voice quiet down, as if this was a well respected ritual of some sort.

Antauri didn't want to answer; his eyes were simply mesmorized by the vivacious display of warm colors shown before him. This magnificent scene looked better here than in Shuggazoom atop the robot. Antauri sighed slowly, running his hand through the cold sand and pieces of broken shells. He lay back against a rock that was beginning to grow algid and soft.

"Antauri..."

Antauri again ignored him. He didn't want anyone, not even his closest friend, to ruin this memorable moment.

"Antauri..."

Antauri squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep his calm air.

"ANTAURI!"

Antauri abruptly sat up straight, so fast sand and remaining contents of shell flew to his sides. He shot an exasperated expression at the blue scientist, but he didn't even notice. Gibson was busy staring down at a deep arroyo in the middle of a ring of dulling brown rocks that sat only inches away from where the two were sitting.

"What are you looking at?" Antauri asked, crawling to the band of boulders.

"I'm... I'm not sure..." Gibson squinted his eyes and lowered his head to the water. It was a deep, dark sea trench, you could barely see anything. Antauri gave Gibson another annoyed frown, glancing at the sunset which was only about a sliver of gold left.

"Wait, wait for it, Antauri," Gibson whispered, shaking the silver simian's tail gently. "Look, look, see there."

Antauri concentrated on what he considered a blackened puddle that was of no use of his time. But, wait... In the midst of this cloudy gully, was a faint, pale flame in the shape of a thin diamond. He licked his lips and plopped his head in the water, hoping to get a better look at it. Unfortunately it started to dim again, disappearing into the shroud of darkness.

Antauri pulled his head back out. He shook his head to Gibson, admitting, "I couldn't catch much of a glimpse of it either."

*

"Look at this, Nova!"

Nova narrowed her eyes in the monotone light, watching Otto run toward her with a glossy coral and teal colored shell. He held it out in front of her, smiling widely.

"Wow, Otto," Nova took it, inspecting it thoughtfully in her hands. She ran her finger past the smooth lines encircling it, and bounced it gently. She handed it back. "It's nice."

"No, this is for you," Otto pushed it back to the yellow monkey. "I wanted to give you something."  
"Aw, thanks," Nova once again accepted it, tucking it in carefully in her rose-colored handbag filled with impressive stones, seashells, and other special things she found by the shore and in the ocean. She breathed in the cool salt-watery air as Otto just stared at her, uncomfortably fiddling with the sharktooth he found earlier that day.

"Um... Nova..." Otto bit his lower lip, his eyes brooding over the jagged lines of the worn-out tooth. "I... kinda wanted to tell you something."

"Sure, what is it?" Nova walked around cautiously, in hopes of finding another valuable-looking item. Otto quickly gazed around him, trying to convince himself that they were alone, and no one could interupt or listen. Finally his eyes settled on Nova, who was brushing her hand past the soft muddy sand, laboring each swish of her hand so as to not break any delicate shells she happens to find. After about five minutes Nova noticed the sudden, solemn silence and stared back at Otto, who quickly reverted his gaze to his sharktooth.

"Yes, Otto?" Nova turned back to her little hobby, searching more in depth for her "buried treasure." Otto opened his mouth, but then closed it, and then opened it again. A small hammer was slowly and gently hitting him, in and out, in and out... repeatedly inside his chest.

The words that seemed so perfect and forward and easy in his mind turned out to be completely flawed and timid and extremely difficult when he wanted to put it into actual words.

"Otto, are you alright?" Nova called out, surprising Otto. "You're kind of getting me a little bit uneasy over here."

_Just say it, Otto. Three little words. Just say it. UGH! Why is this so hard to do??? _

Otto finally stopped stroking his tooth and opened his mouth wide, his eyes shut tightly. "Nova, I-"

"_Monkey team_, _Monkey team, do you read? Over. This is Gibson speaking. Antauri and I found something very unusual over here.... we may need your assistance in retrieving it, over._"

"Well this vacation sure ended soon," Nova stood up, clasping her hands together. She rubbed off the sand from her metallic fists and turned to Otto. "Sorry, what did want you say?"

Otto smiled and shook his head. "Nuh, uh. It was nothing. Let's go find the others."

"Okay," Nova nodded and ran on ahead, zipping the bag as she went and carried it reliably close to her body. Otto went on and followed her, a somewhat bothered glaze in his eyes. He closed them and heaved a huge sigh.

_So close, too.... _


End file.
